Israeli soldiers, Palestinians clash following protester’s funeral

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli troops and Palestinian rioters clashed following the funeral of a Palestinian protester who was killed after throwing exploding firecrackers at soldiers.

The clashes Saturday in the West Bank district of al-Ram next to Jerusalem came after the funeral of Talat Ramieh, 25, who was killed during unrest last Friday in Arab neighborhoods of Jerusalem following a confrontation at the Temple Mount over Palestinian concerns that extremist Jews would storm the holy site.

Soldiers fired at Ramieh after believing that their lives were in danger. Thousands attended his funeral in al-Ram.

Meanwhile, Israel retaliated to rocket fire from the Gaza Strip with airstrikes that hit a weapons manufacturing site and a smuggling tunnel in southern Gaza on Sunday night.

At least eight rockets fired from Gaza struck Israel from Friday to Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces reported. Israel’s Air Force also hit two sites in northern Gaza last Friday, according to the IDF.

More than 20 rockets have been fired at southern Israel during the month of February, according to the IDF, and at least 50 since the beginning of the year. Israel blames Hamas for the attacks.